Infantry or Artillery, specific for me, (ive done searches)

[Scottyg]

I did some searches, Ive been reading the infantry board for a bit, and a bit of artillery.

I am just wondering, i went to get my paperwork started today, and well found out that infact my area has artillery and infantry regiment, i thought there was only infantry.  So i ended up talking to the artillery guy first, he gave some good information about what they do, one thing i didn't like was that they often had to drive 3 hours on weekends to go to the training base to fire the guns. that would kinda suck going that far. what i did like was that the "extra work" i could help out with included just driving vehicles around, sounds fun lol.

So then i talked to the infantry guy, and well he was more pushy lol, basically just saying "lets put you down for infantry, its more fun" i told him though i still wasn't sure what i wanted to do.  As far as what i like about infantry, well i want to get into policing, and I like the idea of learning small arms, hand to hand combat, and maneuvering tactices. Also i think all the PT might be good for me  ;D .

I don't know which to take though, i am eager to take on the challenge and think i can do it. but (i hope this doesn't sound wussy lo :-[l) well  whenever i used to play hockey, i would always play, but i frequently would pull muscles, get minor injuries, and if infantry is the body beater i hear it is, i Don't know if i can avoid getting hurts often lol. I'm sure i would work thru it and push on, but is it worth it if i could do artillery.

About artillery i have read a bit about hearing loss, and well that worries me bigtime, i don't want to be deaf, i need my good hearing for policing lol, I'm sure you wear protection, but i donno :-\

I am really torn between the two, where as the infantry sounds like a lot of fun, the artillery sounds more suitable almost. i consider myself probably stronger than i am cardio fitness wise.

Oh also, the regiment size for infantry in this area is like almost 200 people, where as the artillery regiment in this area is only about 30. i donno if id want to be with a smaller group, little bit closer guys, or have more guys so i can find people i can hang out with easier?

Any recommendations/opinion etc would be helpful, i guess i have till next Tuesday to think about it and do research.

 

[Bomber]

Join the artillery.  No special reason, just less walking, bigger guns, and fresh rations when you are on the gun line.  Nothing is better than eating fresh when everyone else is out "maneuvering" on hard.

 

[tannerthehammer]

I would say go ARTY for your situation...You are gonna get some hearing loss from the machine guns in the Infantry anyway....I'm also going for policing and I just got all my kit/uniform for ARTY in the reserves...If you want a little bit more relaxing atmosphere then go ARTY..

 

[Kat Stevens]

Artillery is RELAXING?  Boy, the army really has changed then.  The Gunners were always notorious for spit 'n' polish and discipline.  Also, get real comfortable swinging a shovel, you'll do lots of it....

Kat

 

[tannerthehammer]

Artillery is RELAXING?   Boy, the army really has changed then.   The Gunners were always notorious for spit 'n' polish and discipline.   Also, get real comfortable swinging a shovel, you'll do lots of it....

Kat

I could be wrong but thats what I have observed so far

 

[pronto]

Been 021 and 031 - both are hard, both require work, neither are relaxing.

Sounds like you should stop and figure out for what you are looking. In my day the "i just am torn, and can't decide" approach was not encouraged. Make a decision, move on with it, and if it turns out you decided wrong, then you can admit it and move on - either making the best of a bad situation or moving to the "other side". Either are completely acceptable!

No one I ever worked with would hammer you for saying "crap - wrong trade, I want to move to another one" We LIKED people who can make decisions, and we LIKED people who could suck it up - either way you get respect.

Good luck!

 

[PJ D-Dog]

Go Arty.  It is both physically and mentally challenging.  You still get to work with some small arms as well.  Don't be torn about your decision, just do it.  Arty units tend to be smaller in size and you do end up with more of a brotherhood.  As for hearing loss, you do wear ear protection on the gun line as it is a requirement.  Don't concern yourself with the road move of three hours in order to go for a live fire exercise, its just part of life.  Once you experience the guns firing, you won't want to do anything else.

As for infantry training, you do get some of that in the arty world as it is required for local defense etc...I did both arty and infantry and I would choose arty any day of the week and twice on sunday.  Good luck.

PJ D-Dog

 

[BDG.CalgHighrs]

Don't know about more fun, but the infantry is a blast. It's great when you get a call saying 'hey, private ______ we're recruiting tomorrow, could we pay you to come and do some rappelling all day tomorrow?'. Even with few qualifications, opportunities to do fun stuff come up quite often. Then you look at some of the stuff that the guys who have been in longer get to do, and end up pretty jealous.

 

[Scottyg]

You all have some interesting comments and opinions. However i am still torn, I am really trying to decide because i am rushing recruitment with my area unit to get in for the summer. I will probably end up going infantry partial because the recruiter is pushy ha ha.  But i am still "torn"   I think either way i go i will like it no matter what, i kinda wish i could try both out before hand lol.

I am wondering, is the chance of injury about the same for both? as i said I'm going into policing eventually and i am partially worried about getting an injury that would hamper that career goal.

There are things of both id like to try, people say you do the infantry work in the artillery as well, but in the infantry don't you get to do more of those section attacks? is there like war games at all? practice your squad maneuvering or anything? what is the weekend training like for infantry.
From what i understand the weekend training for artillery would be going to meaford and doing live fire, digging trenches, and moving the guns around.    What is it like for infantry?

Also I'm looking into extra work as well. The artillery guy said for extra work i could help them move vehicles between bases, or come in and help clean up equipment. What would i do for infantry?

anyway if anyone has any more comments feel free to post, i think I have to decide 2moro  ???

Thanks all for the help  

(Gaisford, i dont understand what yo umean, they pay you to rapel all day for training purposes? and are you talking reserves? I figure infantry would be a lot of fun too, but hard, maybe im just being a wuss though lol)

 

[BDG.CalgHighrs]

what is the weekend training like for infantry.
From what i understand the weekend training for artillery would be going to meaford and doing live fire, digging trenches, and moving the guns around.    What is it like for infantry?

Also I'm looking into extra work as well. The artillery guy said for extra work i could help them move vehicles between bases, or come in and help clean up equipment. What would i do for infantry?

I can't speak from long experience, but I'll give my impression anyway. Take it worth a grain of salt until some of the guys who have been in longer can weigh in .

Weekend training exercises in the infantry tends to involve infantry work  . So you end up doing section attacks, fighting in built up areas, papatrollingvehicle checkpoints, and all sorts of other things along those lines, as well as more specific skills training. DND's website can provide you with more information, but I am guessing you have already checked that out. Extra work tends to consist of whatever needs to be done. This can consist of odd jobs as they come up or being tasked on a more regular basis. So driving, helping with stores, cleaning etc. are likely tasks

(Gaisford, i dont understand what yo umean, they pay you to rapel all day for training purposes? and are you talking reserves? I figure infantry would be a lot of fun too, but hard, maybe im just being a wuss though lol)

Yes this is reserves.
I was just bringing that up as an example of some of the fun 'extra work' we do from time to time. It was a one day thing where we were payed to do some demonstrations and hopefully recruit people who like the idea of running down the side of a building...It was good training for me, but the purpose of the event was to convice people like you that we have the most fun.

 

[seoulja]

why don't you just to MP if you're wanting to go into policing?

 

[Gouki]

My Cadet Corp is arty and so is my local reserve unit... i will join arty for the reserves but as sson as 18 reg forces here i come as 2ppcli... INFANTRY ALL THE WAY


Arty is still good though i eont make fun of other MOC's but   would got infantry

..This contributes to the thread and helps Scotty ... how exactly?  :

Scotty you've gotten already great feedback (which to me seems to primarily be in the favour of arty). Why not just read both Arty and Inf forums and decide from there? Both those forums have a lot of discussion and insight into the respective worlds (even in threads where it is not specifically asked) so check any topic that interests you in the least.

But that being said .. don't join the infantry partly because the recruiter was pushy. Don't let yourself be bowled over like that man, make up your mind based on what you want, where you believe your strengths and weaknesses lie and where you think you will have the most fun and be able to contribute. I asked for help almost exactly like this a while ago and I got it, I got a lot of information, but in the end it doesn't matter because it all comes down to what you want.

But let me tell you, when I saw the destruction an artillery can rain down on a target location, I was more than impressed. I've never seen anything like it and probably won't for a long while to come. It was just ... "wow" to see the explosions, feel the earth shaking shock and impact of the guns firing (and there were lots..) and see how it was all done. Felt like freaking titans were running across the land. So if you pick arty and experience that, I think someone else said it too: you won't regret your choice.

Hope that helped any

 

[AndrewD83]

Scotty,

Don't base your decision on chance of injury.  Everyday we are involved in activities that may result in serious injuries (driving, walking down stairs, yard work, cooking, sports etc.) 

If you are careful during work and play you can minimize your chance of serious injury to zero (or close to it.)  Although law enforcement will reject an applicant due to long term injury you shouldn't live in a bubble for the rest of your life.  Just mind your movements, listen to your body (pay attention to aches and pains after heavy lifting etc.) and always wear safety gear when needed.

 

[Bob the builder]

.

 

[aesop081]

Join the Infantry.

Here is a sample of some work I did as a BMQ only Infantry soldier over the past year.

-Washing dishes for a week during cougar salvo
-Counting Cam nets, pots and snowshoes in the basement
-Manning a booth for the Remembrance week
-Being enemy force on weekend ex's

Then you can always come in to sweep and clean the mess for a few slices of pizza and a beer. ( like money, but tastier)

Now there's one brilliant contribution  :

 

[Standards]

Regarding the previous post, anyone who is not DP 1 qualified in their trade (QL 3 for you old dogs) is not fully employable in the field.  This is not a topic for debate or even the CO's decision, it is army policy (from LFDTS).  At the BMQ level the soldier cannot touch, let alone fire, any weapon other than a C7 and must be under maximum supervision at all times.  A soldier must be at least SQ qualified to even be employed as a sentry.  Therefore the just BMQ qualified complainer had no valid reasons for his complaints.  He may have being doing jobs he didn't want, but at least it was something he was qualified to do and he still got paid.  The only thing I will say in his defence is perhaps his supervisor could of explained the situation to him better. 
The above is a rough paraphrase from memory since I am at home.  If their is further discussion I will try and dig up a link to the document next week.

As far as joining the Artillery goes, I wouldn't recommend it right now.  As a trade, Arty is very confused at the moment due to the streaming that has occurred.  Following DP 1, you now split in different directions (Recce Tech, CP Tech, FOO Tech or remain on the gunline) making the individual soldier very one dimensional.  Nobody I have talked to is very happy with this system and the majority don't fully understand it (probably including me).  Good luck with whatever trade you chose.